Pallet



Oct. 12, 1954 M. M. BAUMANN PALLET Filed Feb. 7, 1952 Patented Oct. 12, 1954 PALLET Martin M. Baumann, Glencoe, 111., assignor to International Paper Company, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application February 7, 1952, Serial No. 270,449

1 Claim.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in devices for handling and supporting articles, and particularly seeks to provide a novel light-weight pallet constructed of corrugated or other paperboard.

The handling of merchandise on pallets has become extremely popular in recent years because it allows the packing of articles in multiple units from producer to consumer and the handling thereof by the use of fork-lift trucks or similar devices, thus eliminating much of the expensive manual handling of the merchandise.

The most convenient pallet is one which affords entry to lifting forks from every side, thus making the relative position of lifting forks and pallet at time of entry unimportant. This is particularly advantageous when the lift truck has little room to maneuver.

It is an object of this invention to provide a novel pallet which is fabricated from corrugated board or the like.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device of the character stated which isso designed as to be readily capable of being shipped to the user in flat or knocked-down form and there readily assembled without the necessity of using any metallic fastening devices or adhesive.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device of the character stated which has a plurality of convoluted hollow rectangular legs or posts which are secured to the pallet platform by a separate locking strip of paperboard extending through the platform.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device of the character stated which has the legs or posts so spaced that entry is provided to a fork lift or other lifting device from every side.

Another object of this invention is to provide a device of the character stated which is simple in design, rugged in construction and economical to manufacture.

With these and other objects in view, the nature of which will be more apparent, the invention will be more fully understood by reference to the drawings, the accompanying detailed description, and the appended claim.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of a blank for the pallet platform constructed in accordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of a blank for a leg of the pallet;

Fig. 3 is a plan view of a locking strip for the legs;

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of an inverted assembled pallet;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged detail horizontal section taken on line 5--5 of Fig. 4; and

Fig. 6 is an enlarged detail vertical section taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 4.

Referring to the drawings in detail, the invention as illustrated is embodied in a load supporting pallet formed preferably from relatively heavy, rigid corrugated paperboard or fibreboard which may, if desired, be additionally strengthened as by impregnation by resin or other suitable material.

A load-supporting platform generally indicated at I0 is provided with a plurality of slots II, the slots occurring in parallel pairs so located that four-way entry to the pallet will be possible after assembly. A plurality of legs or posts I2 are each formed from a continuous strip of double-ply corrugated paperboard divided by score lines I3 into a plurality of panels I4 which are convolutely wound to form a hollow rectangle, the succeeding panels being progressively larger as the outside is approached. The corrugations in the assembled legs will be vertical to afford extra strength. Alternately, the legs I2 may be formed of a plurality of four-sided sections nested one within the other. Each leg I2 is securely attached to the platform ID by a locking strip I5 formed from a single layer of corrugated paperboard, comprising a central panel I6 defined by score lines IIII, the length being equal to the space between an associated pair of slots I I, I I in the platform, a pair of outer panels I8, It on opposed sides of the central panel and defined by score lines I9I9, a pair of relatively narrow bottom panels 20, 20 extending from the outer panels I8, I8 and defined by score lines 2 I, 2 I, a pair of inner panels 22, 22 extending from the bottom panels 20, 20 and defined by reverse score lines 23-23. Carried on one inner panel 22 is an internal locking panel 24, and carried on the other inner panel 22, and thus at the opposite end of the strip, is an external locking panel 25. The various panels and width of the locking strip are sized so as to fit snugly about the associated leg or post.

In assembling this pallet the legs are convoluted into the hollow rectangle as shown in Figs. 4 and 5 and placed perpendicular to the plaform II] with a pair of walls immediately inside an associated pair of slots I I. Since all of the legs are identical only one will be here described in detail. The ends of the locking strip I5 are pulled through the respective slots so that the central panel It lies in juxtaposition with the upper side of the platform III with the outer panels I8, I8 extending through the slots II, II to lie in juxtaposition with the outer surfaces of the asociated leg walls.

The bottom panels 20, 20 are then folded across the associated end wall portions of the leg and the inner panels 22 are folded inwardly into juxtaposition with the inner wall surfaces of the leg. The locking panel 24 is then folded to lie in juxtaposition with the underside of the platform l and the locking panel 25 is folded to lie immediately over-the -internalpanel. The size of the external panel is that of the internal dimensions of the legs to insure a snug fit, It has been found that this novel means of attaching the legs is extremely secure without necessitating the stapling or gluing of the locking panels 24, 25 orof the legs to the undersurface of the'platform l0,

but in some cases it might be desirable to sofasten these panels and the legs to secure added strength.

The simplicity of construction of a pallet which embodies the features of this invention makes it entirely feasible to ship the pallet to a user in can simply and quickly 'erect'the samewithout using any" additional apparatus or" material.

Thus it will be seen that the 'hereindisclosed" invention provides a novel four-way pallet fabridated from corrugated board, fibreboardor the like'whi'ch' is capableof being ship'pedin knockeddo'wnform forready'ass'embly at the point'of use;

which is light-weight, simple irf'de'sign, ru'gge'd 'in" construction and "economical to manufacture;

It is, of course, to be understood that various detailsof "arrangements andproporti'orls' of parts maybe modified Within thescope of the appended 4 the like and comprising a load-supporting platform, a plurality of rectangularly cross-sectioned convolutely wound hollow legs depending from the under surface of said platform, said platform being provided with a plurality of spaced parallel pairs of slots the spacing between each pair of which is. substantially equal to the external faceto-face dimension of one 0t said legs, and a locking strip for each said leg, said strip being provided with a central panel, a pair of outer panels extending from opposed sides of said central panel, a bottom panel extending outwardly from each outer panel, an inner panel extending outwardly. fi'omea'ch bottom panel, and a locking panel extending outwardly from each inner panel, said central panel lying in juxtaposition with said upper "platform'-' surface between one pair of said slots, said outer panels extending through said associated slots and lying in juxtaposition with opposed outer walls of an associated leg, said botto'ni'pan'els' lying across opposed en'd'wall portions of said leg, said inner panels lying infjuxta' position with opp'osed'inner "Walls of said' leg, said locking panels lying in' juxtaposition with each" other and with the under surface of said platform withinsaidleg.

References Cited in the file *ofthis patent UNITED-STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,448,447 Lau Aug; 31, .1948: 2,493,562 Yarman Jan. 3, 1950 2,507,588- Brandong May. 16;; 1950 559,930 Bolton. 'Ju1y:l0;1 '1w 2,571,748 Newman; .Oct. 16; 1951- 2',6l1',569 Coleman Sept; 23,1952 

